Photosynthetic Pigments: Chlorophyll and Carotenoids
This video presents the same text shown beside it, spoken and on screen. It adds nothing the text does not say.
State
Chlorophyll absorbs mainly blue and red light and reflects green, giving leaves their color; carotenoids absorb blue light and dissipate excess energy as heat.
Show
Autumn leaves turn yellow-orange as chlorophyll degrades, revealing the carotenoids that were there all along but masked by green.
Watch for
Seeing a green leaf tempts students to assume chlorophyll absorbs green light, when it actually reflects that color.